Acetylene-gas machine.



No. 653,651. Patented luly I7, .1900. w. .1. BAULIEU.

ACETYLENE GAS MACHINE.

Y (Application filed Fab. 4, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 ShaetsSheet I.

1 K I K Witnesses Inventor.

W171 iain Iflaw'lieu WW K Attorney;

No. 653,65l. Patented July l7, I900.

Y W. J. B'AULIEU.

AGET YLENE GAS MACHINE. A nmion filed Feb. 4, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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Witnesses. Inventor.

- William eIBauZieu Attorneys Tm: Monms PETER S 0o. PnoTouma, wAsnmcioN, D c

No. 653,65l. Patented July l7, I900.

W. J. BAULIEU. AQETYLENE GAS MACHINE.

(Application filed Feb. 4, 1899.)

3. Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

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Attorneys THE Noam: PETERS co. PHOTO-LITHO., WASHINGTON n. c.

UNITED I STATES PATENT OF IC WILLIAM J. BAULIEU, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

ACETYLENE-GAS MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 653,651, dated. July 17, 1.900.

Application filed February 4, 1899- Serial No. 704,514. (No model.)

Thisinvention relates to new and useful improvements in acetylene-gas machines which include one or more generators and a storage.- tank to receive and distribute the gas made by said generators.

It is the object of my invention to improve upon machines of the above class by providing a series of comparatively-small generators which may operate separately, alternately, or simultaneously in conjunction with a receiver and whereby any of said generators may be recharged at will without afiecting the continuous operation of the machine.

Said improvements further reside. in certain details of construction and combination of parts, as will later be more fully described, and finally recited in the claims. Upon the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, the same letters of reference denote like or corresponding parts upon the several figures, and of which Figure 1 shows a side elevation of my machine complete. Fig. 2 shows a central vertical cross-sectional view, as on 'line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is asectional plan view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Figs. 4 and 5 show detail sectional views in different positions/of a three-way valve used to govern the watersupply for the generators. Fig. 6 shows a detail view of valve Cr shown in Fig. 2.

Referring to the characters of reference marked upon the drawings, A represents a cylindrical tank which is provided with inner and outer casings B and C, respectively. Between said casings is formed a cylindrical space D to receive the base of a verticallymovable dome E, and in practice said tank contains water to form a seal for the dome, as will be apparent from Fig. 2. The inte; rior of the tank, together with the dome, as will be seen, forms the reservoir for the gas, which reservoir is made expansible by reason of the dome being permitted to riseand fall with the varying quantities or pressure of gas therein.

F indicates a Water-supply pipe which in practice is preferably connected with the city supply. The inner end ofjsaid pipe is provided with a spring-actuated valve G, which is automatically operated by the movement of the dome through the medium of a lever H, which connects said dome and the valve-stem. It will thus be apparent that with the rising and filling of the dome the valve is closed and opened to automatically regulate the water-supply in the tank and the generators.

Within the base of the cylindrical tank D is arranged a distributing-pipe Lwhich is provided with two feed-pipes J J at either side of thetank. These pipes extend upward an equal distance from the distributing-pipe and they have their free ends open to receive surface water from the tank at such times when said water rises abovethe mouth of said pipe.

It will thus be apparent that the feeding ofthe water from thetank is governed by the quantityof water therein and that said quantity is determined by the'position of the dome,

which is actuated by the pressure of gas therein. V

The gas-is generated in a series of generators, each of which is connected directly with the reservoir, and is adapted to be operated independently, successively, or simultaneously. Said generators are further arranged so as to permit of one or more of them being recharged at will without disturbing the one in action, thus insuring the production of a continuous supply of gas at all times. The above object is accomplished by arranging the series of generators around the exterior of the tank and in close proximity thereto. In the drawin gs I have shown nine of said generators; but it will be'obvious, of course, that any number can be used and that they may likewise be made to hold any quantity of carbid.

Inasmuch as the constructions of the generators K are substantially duplicates of each other I will refer to each with like reference letters. Said generators consistof a tank L and a dome M, which is invertedly placed in said tank and secured in any suitable manner. A water seal is provided for the dome in the usual manner by partially filling the tank, as shown. Within the dome and tankislplaced the ,carbid-holder, which may be of any pre This holder is adapted fcrred construction.

to receive the dry carbid, on which small quantities of water are automatically fed from the tank of the reservoir through the following connections. As previously stated, the water is drained from the tank through the pipes J and delivered in the distributingpipe '1. From said distributing-pipe it is fed to either of the generators through one of the pipes N, valve 0, (see Fig. 5,) and spout P, which latter empties directly onto the carbid in the generator. By the application of water as above the gas is formed and rises in the dome M and emerges therefrom by means of gaspipe Q and through a body of water R, contained in the bottom of the reservoir, whereby it is cleaned and purified, after which said gas rises into the dome of said reservoir. The pipe S serves to convey the gas from the reservoir to a larger storage-tank (not shown) or it may constitute the direct supply-pipe for 7 service.

As previously stated, the water is fed into the generator in a manner to wet the carbid and produce the gas, and it is further true that with the complete extraction of all the gas therefrom and the continued consu mption of gas from the reservoir the dome is lowered in a manner to open the valve G, which feeds water into the tank and from which said water is drained for the generator in question. By the continued flow of water into said generator the same becomes filled, thus forcing the remaining small quantity of gas therefrom until the water rises to the overflowpipe T, when it is automatically conveyed through the three-way valve 0 (see Fig. 4) and hinged spout P to the adjoining generator, which is thus set in operation and delivers its gas direct to the reservoir through its pipe Q. From the foregoing it will be seen that the generators are automatically and successively set into operation so long as the gas is being consumed from the reservoir. It will further be apparent that by reason of the employment of said three-way valve any or all of the flooded generators can be cut out and the water-supply taken direct from the tank through any of the valves and pipes connecting the charged generators, (see Fig. 5,) thus permitting the recharging of said flooded generators without affecting the flow of gas to and from the reservoir.

In practice I find it preferable to consume carbid while in a series of small generators rather than in a single large receptacle, as it is much safer to handle and permits of the production of a continuous flow of gas, if necessary, without any stops or reduction in pressure while recharging. It will also be apparent that when said generators are arranged in a series, as per my construction, they are capable of producing a large or small quantity of gas and furnishing it at a uniform pressure at all times, which. is regulated by the amount of gas consumed.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An acetylene-gas machine comprising an expansible tank provided with a water seal, a water-supply pipe, means to automatically regulate said supply by the movement of the reservoir, a drain-pipe leading from said water seal, a series of generators adjacent to said reservoir, connections from said drainpipe to the generators, pipes connecting each generator to the adjacent ones, a valve located at the intersection of pipe connections aforesaid and by means of which the water-supply is regulated.

2. An acetylene-gas machine comprising an expansible tank provided with a Water seal, a water-supply pipe for said seal, means to automatically regulate said supply, a series of generators adjacent to said reservoir, water-pipes extending from the tank to the generators, an overflow-pipe from the adjoining generator to said water-pipe, a valve at the intersection of said pipes, a gas-pipe leading from the generators to the reservoir, substantially as described.

3. The combination with an expansible gasreservoir, of a series of generators therefor, a water seal for said reservoir, connections from said seal to the generators for automatically feeding water thereto, pipes to permit the overflow from one of said generators to pass into the adjoining generator, valves for cutting out one or more of said series, means to automatically regulate the supply of water to said generators by the amount of gas contained in the reservoir, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a suitable reservoir, of a series of generators therefor, means for automatically feeding water from said reservoir to the generator, pipes for permitting an overflow from one generator to another, valves included in said pipes whereby any number of said generators can be bypassed, a gas-pipe from each of said generators to the reservoir, a wash in said reservoir into which said gas is discharged.

5. A gas-machine of the class described, the same comprising an expansible reservoir, a water seal for said reservoir, a water-supply for said seal, a valve in said supply automatically operated by the movement of the dome of the reservoir, a series of generators separately connected with the water seal of the reservoir, a valve to regulate the flow through said connections, gas-pipes from said generators to the reservoir and a water wash covering the discharge of said pipes, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM J. BAULIEU. Witnesses:

C. M. NEWMAN, JOHN L. CARPENTER.

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